For His Service

Now, this is just a 30 seconds video.  In it...the little Boston Terrier bounces himself off this ball and tumbles (I really don't think that is what he intended to do).  He clearly loves this ball..and loves this type of exercise. After 3 1/2 years of running, I have my first injury.  A stress fracture in my left foot... Hurts like a dog. :) (Pun intended).  Anyway, I am going to have to find a new exercise to be excited/ enthusiastic about for awhile... One that doesn't require much of my left leg.  I guess Yoga???  Any other suggestions...

What does it take to be a friend? Friendship isn’t easy. Why? Because we are inherently self-centered and prideful.  We want our way and we don’t ever want to be seen as wrong.   Then, Christ reaches down in our sin and rescues us.  So, we have the Holy Spirit which enables us to reach down when a friend is hurting, is stuck in some kind of sin, or just isn’t being fun to be around.  Sometimes HE calls us to do hard things for a friend..without much of a thank you.  Sometimes He calls us to be Mike to our Sully.   If you for some weird reason have never watched, Monsters Inc, then you won’t get the reference.  But for those of you who have watched Monsters Inc, you know that Sully is so focused on one thing…that he fails to consider Mike’s feelings and fails to consider how his actions will affect Mike.       Near the end of the movie, we see Mike’s great service of love for Sully.  He displays his cu...

School is back in session.  Homeschooling 3 and teaching at a one-day a week Hybrid. Russell has biked 5 miles while I ran it (so glad he is willing to exercise with me).  We have been out to feed and care for the horses ..about 7 hours this week.  ... all on top of our school year.    Life flies by in the school year.  Here is a glance at this week...  Faux  Beard made from trimmed-horse hair Balloon wars Dirk... bringing even MORE dirt into the house.. like three kids don't bring in enough Playing around at the Horse Rescue.. Another painting I completed for the art Auction..benefiting www.savethehorses.org And of course we have played more than our fair share of board games... this is a GREAT parody of the Hunger games... (board games)... And if you haven't seen this... here is an awesome video about another mom's week... 

When life feels rocky, I again have to remind myself  to look for the stones God has placed in my life. You see, in Joshua 4,  12 men placed 12 stones..to remember how God had brought them into the promised land. Moses and the others of the former generation had chosen not to trust in God..and to disobey. Joshua choose to be strong and courageous. ..   Joshua  trusted God.... even when it didn't make sense. In Joshua 1, God tells Joshua and the others..that He was taking them into the promise land. .      God tells them that they will take the land from the Hittites. (This is one bad, scary people). Joshua had reason not to" be strong and courageous". But....he obeyed because he knew God was strong and loving (Psalm 62). They placed those 12 stones so they could remember a time when they KNEW God was with them...and remembered HIS faithfulness and their own obedience...and willingness to trust...even in a scary situation. Friday ..while I ...

Just for laughs...funny.... (Filmed in GA..posted by Bob Smiley on Youtube/ the comedian on the right).

 Madeline had an opportunity to bucket feed a horse that needed to be hosed off (he doesn't sweat so he can't cool down otherwise).   He enjoyed his meal while enjoying the cooling spray of water...  As you can see from the photos, he likes to pick up his food and swish it in his mouth...like a fine wine. :)    Madeline ended up with a good bit on  her.   As I looked at these pictures , it made me think...that is what REAL friendships look like.   When we try to help a friend, we sometimes come out smelling worse or looking like a mess.  Sometimes, we need friends that will just go in the trenches with us...not enjoyable...not pretty...but necessary. Sometimes,  meeting a friend's need is not what our flesh desires and we aren't "fed" or built up by the experience.   Sometimes, it just calls for us to be selfless and take the muck to help them through. Sometimes we end up looking like the bad guy...

 Who are robots and who are not? (A Theological question to some).    Today, people are taught by some that a Christian must be either a Calvinist or an Arminian. This is not true. I do not embrace some parts of Calvinism nor Arminianism.     The Bible is very clear that we will not...this side of heaven... fully understand the mind of God concerning much of anything..especially  sovereignty and free will. However, I do see in God's Word parts that concern man having a God-given "free will" to choose between good and evil and a free will to accept or reject Christ as Savior.   Some say we can't resist His grace.   What would it mean if we could not have possibly resisted His grace? Nothing.  God enlightens every man (John 1:9). God convicts every man (John 16:8). God draws every man (John 12:32). God leaves the choice to every man (John 3:16). Irresistible Grace, within itself, is a phrase of contradiction. If it ...

Where is God when bad things happen?  You only have to turn on the news to hear about a shooting at a movie theater.    More?   Just yesterday..a shooting at a temple.   People who don't think of God day to day may quickly ask "How could that happen?"..   People who do call themselves Christians might question "Where is God in that?"    This has been a bit of a debate even at the church where we are attending.   What can you do to answer your questions  1. Search God's word.   2. Pray   3. Seek the insight of other believers.     When we search God's word, we have to search with the right mind set.  If you search, make sure you don't search with the attitude that you only want to consider the verses that uphold what you already believe to be true.   Search the vastness of His word.   He says in 2 Timothy 3 that.. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correct...

I don't know one woman that doesn't want to be loved deeply.   Seaman Devin Maxwell  showed his wife that he loved her...deeply.  He was being deployed to the Middle East for eight months, but wanted to let his wife Crystal know how much he loved her and miss her when he was away. To surprise her, he left a large box containing 241 love letters, one for each day he’d be away. You can watch their story here. Ephesians 5 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the  head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing   her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a  radiant ch...